I had a recent dialog with many regarding the variability of 3M packaging for Scotchbrite material. Recent trips to the store yielded the following:

1) packaged by 3M as "between coats finishing pads" is a gray pad that actually has "scotchbrite" and "superfine" written on it, and is stated to be equivalent to 00 steel wool. It bears no. 10144NA on the package. Local Home Depot was source.
2) I found a similar gray pad, in a different package, stating equivalence to 000 steel wool, and I believe having no. 10120NA on it (I didn't purchase this one, so I'm going by memory). This at a local True Value hardware store.
3) Finally, labelled as "synthetic steel wool pads" and equivalent to 0000 steel wool, and "super fine" on the package, was a white pad roughly the size of a chalkboard eraser as used in school, with no. 10119NA on packaging. This one at a large Ace hardware.

I haven't actually used any of these yet, but I am confident I've got the right stuff now. This is what I do on my day off.

Stick with the pads that say 3M, SCOTCHBRITE, these are the real thing, and of better quality. Auto Body supply stores are a safe place to get quality products.

Dave von Doehren
PRRODS......If man built it , man can fix it.and if man built it man can break it !

I just got a catalog from a woodworking supplier who listed Scotchbrite pads in white - extra fine. Wouldn't this be worth having also?

Bill in WV

David von Doehren Wrote:
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> Stick with the pads that say 3M, SCOTCHBRITE,
> these are the real thing, and of better quality.
>

The point I was making was that, regarding items 1 and 2 above, the pads say "Scotchbrite" on them...its just that the packaging doesn't. I don't know why 3M packages Scotchbrite different ways, but I can't imagine its not identical product.

Bill in WV,

I purchased both grey and white pads from a woodcrafting store about a year ago. Though they're not labelled 3M products, the gray product is darned close (if not the same) to the 3M numbered product that I used to purchase at Lowe's. The white material is definitely finer in its grit.

I've never experienced a problem with any 3M labelled product and prefer to use their brands when I can find them locally. My problem has specifically related to finding the 3M grey product that used to be available locally and was numbered as to product. Auto painting supply stores are the best I've found, but the one I used went out of business. Stan



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2006 01:56AM by Stan Gregory.

Patrick, I have the one's mentioned in your 2nd product listing there, your numbers are accurate. The package says 10120NA in the lower right corner. Replaces "000" steel wool. Also has "Synthetic Steel Wool" on the package. It works!

If you use these, do tell if there is any appreciable difference in result for our purposes. I bet they all work pretty well, from "00" through "0000". Perhaps the differences would be noticable for finishing or electroplating work, but we are speaking of glue and graphite most of the time.

If they are going to get creative and diverse in the labeling of these pads, perhaps we could convince 3M to put a little note on for rodbuilders. Something like "These are pads Tom K recommends". Why not? They have the product description printed in 3 languages on my little bag, won't cost them much ink to help us out here.

joe arvay Wrote:
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>
> If you use these, do tell if there is any
> appreciable difference in result for our purposes.
> I bet they all work pretty well, from "00"
> through "0000". Perhaps the differences would be
> noticable for finishing or electroplating work,
> but we are speaking of glue and graphite most of
> the time.
>
>Well, I can tell you now that the gray ("00 equivalent") made short work of removing the gloss finish of a blank and creating a "water break free surface". Leaves behind fine scratches that are visible to the eye.

The white pad ("0000" equivalent) did...well...NOTHING that I can tell, even after vigorous rubbing. Since it wasn't removing the gloss finish, I thought then that it might have some utility in buffing out some fine scratches, but didn't do that either. Its headed up to the kitchen...I don't see any application for it in rodshop at this point.

Given the above, I think I'll get some gray "000" next time I'm out and see if it lessens the visibility of scratches...perhaps it will serve as a buffing pad.

I have used "000" quite afew times on fiberglass & graphte blanks and found no noticable scrathes and if any the permagloss coverd it. I don't use anything more coarse thats all i use from start to finnish it will degloss the blank.Get the "000" i'm sure you'll like it,iget it at home depot .

always use Scotchbrite type S-7448-grey ultra fine. This is equivelant to 000. When you don't care if the scratches show and want something a bit more aggressive then type S-7446 grey medium fine will the job, but it is equivelant to 00 and will leave visible scratches on your rod. The white scotchbrite does not contain any grit. It is supplied with the idea that you will use your own grit. The fibre alone will do some very fine polishing, but it is laborious to use it. For more detail on this subject refer to the article on water break free in the Rodmaker volume 5 issue 2.

Ralph

Ralph has it. There are actually two versions of the white though. 7445 White Super Fine is a light duty cleaning pad with a very mild abrasive and 8440 White is for polishing and topcoat rubbing. There’s also a 7745 Gold which is rated as grade 0000 steel wool

Here's how they list out from least to most aggressive (grade is steel wool equivalent):

7445 White - Superfine
7745 Gold - grade 0000
7448 Gray - grade 000
7447 Maroon - grade 1
8447 Maroon - grade 2
7446 Gray - grade 3

8447 is actually designed for paint prep and scuffing, but anything between 7448 and 7446 will work very well.

The main thing you want to try to avoid is using something like sandpaper or anything else that will put deep scratches in the surface. When you scuff the surface with something fine you’re doing a few things to promote the adhesion. One is that you’re cleaning it, second is you’re significantly increasing the surface area, and thirdly, you maximize the ability of higher viscosity adhesives to flow into the surface. A very rough scratched surface won't have near the surface area of adhesion compared to one that's scuffed with a something finer like a Scotchbrite pad. But a more insidious effect is that some of these high viscosity epoxy resins won't be able to displace the air if in a deep scratch, and may not fully flow into the surface. Even something like 80-100 grit sandpaper can reduce the surface area and reduce bond strength. Bottom line is that scuffing will not only clean the surface, but will also give the maximum surface area for bonding as well as optimize mechanical interlocking.


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